Configurable And Portable Device For Holding Accessories On Motor Vehicle Dashboards

ABSTRACT

A device for holding accessories such as a tablet computer, smartphone, navigation device or similar accessories to the dashboard or center console of a motor vehicle. The mount is secured to the dashboard or console with one or more upper adjustable strap(s) and hook(s) to the defroster vent or other attachment point on the dashboard or on the windshield and one or more strap(s) and hook(s) to anchor points under the dashboard or center console. The adjustable straps provide for stability, portability, and flexible positioning. A break-away component in the top strap or straps provides for safety if the device is impacted. A removable cradle is attached to the mount with an attachment device or pedestal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 61/682,953 filed 14 Aug. 2012 by the present inventor.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND Description of Related Art

Prior art for vehicle dashboard mounted tablet computer, smart phone, navigation device, or other accessory or object holders consists of mounts attached to the dashboard with one or more suction cups, fasteners, reconstruction of the dash, inserts into beverage cup holders, cantilevered, straps, or attached with inserts into air vents on the face of the dashboard. No method or device includes a break-away safety feature.

These methods of attachment either require permanent alteration of the dash, are difficult to install or remove, are in unsafe or in illegal positions (California and other states) that affect the driver's view ahead, are weak attachments that fail through normal use, lack safety features, or vibrate with vehicle motion and reduce usability.

The following is a table of prior art that appears relevant. While all address attaching accessories to a vehicle dashboard only the Phillips and Cox inventions use straps and hooks for portability but they do not include a mount base for stability, a removable cradle for travel or other accessories, or a break-away safety feature in the strap assembly.

Patent Kind Number Code Issue Date Patentee 6,098,860 A 2000 Aug. 08 Phillips 5,511,754 A 1996 Apr. 30 Johannsen 5,806,447 A 1998 Sep. 15 Cox 7,097,082 B2 2006 Aug. 29 Wallaker 7,654,425 B2 2010 Feb. 02 Huang 8,276,863 B2 2012 Oct. 02 Niwai 174,669 A 1979 Nov. 20 Lalonde 5,979,724 A 1999 Nov. 09 Brownell 4,303,109 A 1981 Dec. 01 Cohen 8,474,778 B2 2013 Jul. 02 Jacobson Publication Kind Publication Number Code Date Applicant 20120097723 A1 2012 Apr. 26 Khatchatrian 20120175394 A1 2012 Jul. 12 Keune 20120199621 A1 2012 Aug. 09 Yoon 20130037590 A1 2013 Feb. 14 Yoon 20080190978 A1 2008 Aug. 14 Brassard 20070278274 A1 2007 Dec. 06 Dunn 20050236541 A1 2005 Oct. 25 Chang 20040040994 A1 2004 Mar. 04 Parcelles

SUMMARY

This device is a configurable and portable mount for securely holding accessories such as a tablet computer, smart phone, navigation device, or other accessory firmly to a vehicle dashboard or console. The mount position on the dashboard or console can be easily changed with adjustable straps that include a break-away safety component.

A cradle or holder, either removable and interchangeable or fixed to the mount, secures the accessory to the mount by means of an attachment device or pedestal. Such attachment device or pedestal is either fixed or articulating.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the mount assembled with a cradle for a tablet computer as an embodiment example. FIG. 1 includes views of the hook ends of the upper and lower straps attached to a dashboard in one possible configuration.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1—Prospective view of the assembly installed on dashboard with component reference numerals

FIG. 2—Prospective view of the assembly

FIG. 3—Side view of the assembly

FIG. 4—Bottom front prospective view of the assembly

FIG. 5—Exploded view of the assembly

FIGS. 6A & 6B—Prospective views of the base sub-assembly

FIGS. 7A & 7B—Prospective views of a cradle sub-assembly

FIG. 7C—Exploded view of a cradle sub-assembly displaying a protective overlay material such as leather or other soft pliable material

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This embodiment contains:

-   -   1. FIG. 1: An adjustable top strap or straps 2 are secured on         the mount 1 and to a defroster vent 8 near the windshield with a         hook 4, rubber stopper 3, screw eye 23, with strap 2 looped         through D ring 24 to connect the mount 1 to a dashboard 7. The         top strap or straps can be adjusted with camlock buckles 26 or         other suitable strap length adjusters.     -   2. FIG. 1: An adjustable bottom strap or straps 5 are secured on         the mount 1 with hook and loop strap or straps 13 or fasteners         and to the dashboard or console edges below the mount with hook         or hooks 6. The strap or straps can be adjusted with camlock         buckles 25 or other suitable strap length adjusters.     -   3. FIG. 1: A rubber stopper 3 or similar component between the         hook 4 and the strap 2 as a safety feature that allows the mount         to break-away from the hook if impacted by a vehicle occupant.         When there is a force of impact on the mount or cradle the screw         eye or similar component is pulled out of the stopper which         releases the top strap 2 and entire assembly from the dashboard.         The user reattaches the strap and hook by hand by screwing the         hook 4 into the stopper 3.     -   4. FIG. 1: An attachment device or pedestal 9 to connect the         mount 1 to the cradle 10. The pedestal can be articulating         adjustable pivoting, hinged, or fixed.     -   5. FIG. 1: A cradle or holder 10. Cradles are interchangeable         and designed for specific tablet computers, smart phones,         navigation devices, and similar devices. A tablet computer         cradle shown in this embodiment.     -   6. FIG. 5: Top strap 2 attaches to mount base 1 with wing bolt         11. Wing bolt 11 secures pedestal 9 to mount base 1. A device or         fastener 12 secures cradle 10 to pedestal 9 with a threaded         stud.     -   7. FIG. 5: Bottom strap or straps 5 is secured to the mount 1         with fasteners or looped through hook and loop strap or straps         13 and the bottom strap or straps are secured with a buckle 25         in this embodiment. The hook and loop strap as shown is open and         wraps around the mount crossbar 14 and overlapped and pressed to         secure.     -   8. FIG. 6A: A mount consisting of multiple legs 21 and a         connecting crossbar 14. However, legs are not necessary and the         mount can rest against the dashboard without them.     -   9. FIG. 7C: A cradle or holder 10 with protective material 15,         16 such as leather glued to cradle arms 18 to protect the user's         device from abrasion on the metal cradle in this embodiment.         Protective material 17 such as felt pads glued to cradle         crossbar 19 in this embodiment. The hardware components are         attached with rivets 20 or similar fasteners. Protective         materials may be omitted if the cradle is made of plastic or         other materials that are softer than the object to be held.

The mount 1 and cradle 10 in this embodiment can be made from standard materials such as plastics, metals, leather, or foamcore, common fasteners, and with common processes for forming and manipulating the materials. Straps can be elastic, web, or similar materials. Variations in materials or design attributes would not materially after the nature of the mount.

In this embodiment a tablet computer snaps into the cradle and it is held firmly by the bent ends of the cradle arms 18 and cradle crossbar 19. The degree of bending is dependent on the object to be held as is the cradle design but should be greater than 90 degrees. Capping the bent ends with another bend and/or end cap is critical for occupant safety.

The cradle should securely contain accessories. The cradle 10 can be attached to the mount 1 by a fixed pedestal, an articulating ball and socket pedestal (shown in this embodiment), and/or a hinge mechanism to flip the cradle away from the dashboard or console for easy access to existing vehicle controls. At least dozens of useful cradle designs are possible in order to accommodate a variety of devices.

Operation

The user secures the top hook 4 inside the defroster vent to a crossbar or molding edge or other attachment point below or on the windshield. Alternatively the user may push the rubber stopper 3 into the vent as an anchor if no edge is available for the hook.

The user then adjusts the top strap 2 to position the frame vertically on the dashboard or console where desired. The mount 1 legs are designed to rest in recesses in the lower dash 7 or console for additional stability. They can be bent by the user by hand or with normal hand tools to better align them with those recesses. However, no recesses are necessary for the operation of this mount configuration.

Finally, the user adjusts the bottom strap or straps 5 and hook 6 them to a suitable edge such as under the dashboard 7 or on the side of a center console base.

The mount can be used anywhere on the dashboard or console as long as it doesn't impact the deployment of airbags or affect other operational or safety components of the vehicle.

Conclusion, Ramifications, and Scope

This mount provides a stable, portable, and flexible positioning platform for mounting a variety of accessories that front seat occupants may wish to have available at their convenience. Those accessories can range from a tablet computer to a paper map depending on the design of the cradle. The cradle design can be adapted to various needs not only with accessories but can have additional functionality such as articulating, fixed position, or flip out of the way for operation of controls on the dashboard or console.

While the description contains specifics for one embodiment of the mount, these are not limitations on the scope. The scope should be determined based on the claims. 

1. A device for holding accessories on a motor vehicle dashboard or console comprising a. a mount comprising multiple legs connected by a mount crossbar b. with an attachment device or pedestal secured by a fastener or fasteners to the said mount crossbar in combination with c. an adjustable means for attaching said mount above and forward of the mount position and below the mount position on said dashboard or console including a break-away safety release component d. a cradle or holder constructed to securely hold an accessory in a fixed position relative to said cradle or holder e. with a device or fastener that secures said cradle or holder to said attachment device or pedestal whereby the ends of said legs of said mount will be positioned at the user's selected location on said dashboard or console, said mount is removable for portability, will break-away for occupant safety, and will support said cradle or holder when attached.
 2. Said mount of claim 1 wherein four legs are connected by fasteners to said mount crossbar of sufficient width to securely retain the legs to said mount crossbar and sufficient length to provide stability to said mount when attached to said cradle and installed on said dashboard or console.
 3. Said attachment device or pedestal of claim 1 comprises a. an articulating ball and socket and is b. connected to said mount crossbar by a wing bolt threaded into the base of said pedestal whereby said pedestal is firmly attached to said mount crossbar but may be removed by a user by hand or with common tools.
 4. Said mount of claim 1 wherein said adjustable means of attaching consists of a. one or more pliable web strap assemblies looped through a D ring and secured with an adjustable buckle, with said D ring connected though the eye of an eye screw that is screwed into one end of a rubber stopper and a hook screw that is screwed into the other end of said rubber stopper and b. the non-looped end of said strap or straps are secured by fasteners to said mount crossbar and c. one or more elastic strap assemblies attached to said mount crossbar with fasteners or looped through hook and loop straps, secured with a buckle, and with hooks attached to the free ends whereby said web strap assembly secures the mount to an exposed edge in a defroster vent and said elastic strap assemblies secure said mount to an exposed edge below said dashboard or console.
 5. Said cradle or holder of claim 1 comprising a. arms and a cradle crossbar of sufficient length for an accessory such as a tablet computer to rest against them plus ends upturned and bent back toward the arm and over the edges of the accessory b. a pliable protective material such as leather, tape, or cloth attached to the arms and capping the ends if the arms and cradle crossbar are made from metal c. protective pads that hold said accessory free of the center of said cradle crossbar and against said upturned ends of said cradle crossbar d. said pliable protective material attached as end caps to the said cradle arms and crossbar upturned ends e. a locknut fastener to secure said cradle crossbar to a threaded stud in said pedestal inserted through a hole in the center of said cradle crossbar whereby an accessory such as a tablet computer or smartphone will snap into the cradle, be retained by the upturned ends of the arms and cradle crossbar and those ends are capped for occupant safety.
 6. A mount of claim 1 comprising a mount crossbar with no attached legs Whereby the mount crossbar lays against the dashboard or console and supports the function of the mount. 